What If Car Insurance Doesn't Cover the Costs of an Accident in PA?

Pennsylvania has some of the most unique laws in the United States regarding car insurance. It’s one of only a dozen or so states that have no-fault car insurance laws. After a car accident, understanding how these laws work can help a person obtain the compensation that they need after suffering damages during an accident they didn’t cause.

What Does Car Insurance Conver in PA?

The state requires that every person purchase personal injury protection (PIP) with their auto insurance. All drivers in Pennsylvania must have at least $5,000 in PIP coverage. If they sustain injuries during a car accident, funding for their medical care comes from this amount. If a person needs more than $5,000 in medical care, their own health insurance kicks in to cover additional costs.

The states also require injury liability for each person injured in a car accident. The minimum requirement is $15,000 dollars per person and $30,000 of total coverage. It also requires $5,000 in coverage for property damage. No-fault insurance means that a person can’t pursue the losses an at-fault party caused. However, the state does allow a person to opt-out of this law with the purchase of a fault insurance policy. However, these are more expensive and are not always practical for all drivers as a result.

Car accidents can cause a lot more than $15,000 in medical bills and $5,000 in property damage. Serious injuries can cause medical bills to soar, and time lost at work can make injuries even more difficult to recover from. So, what happens when insurance doesn’t cover the damages caused by an accident?

What Happens When No-Fault Insurance Coverage Runs Out?

While no-fault insurance is the most affordable option for drivers in the state, it might leave them needing more compensation after a serious accident. First, it’s important for claimants to understand that their insurance company might not be providing the payment that they need. Insurance companies are companies that seek to protect their profits by delay or denying claims. Sometimes, their goal is to get a person to settle for nothing or a fraction of what they could have received.

If you’ve received the maximum amount of coverage from your PIP coverage and the maximum amount from the other person’s coverage, you might still have the option to recover additional financial losses associated, especially if you’ve opted out of the state’s no-fault insurance policy.

To prevent insurers from behaving this way, it’s important to speak with a Pennsylvania car accident lawyers from Handler, Henning & Rosenberg LLC. We’ll examine your case, and help you decide if you’re receiving fair treatment. In some instances, a person can pursue damages outside of an insurance claim, even if a person hasn’t opted out of the state’s no-fault insurance laws. Our team has faced insurance companies countless times in the state, and we’ve helped recover millions of dollars on behalf of car accident survivors who need and deserve compensation.

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